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Chatwood doesn't plan to stay sidelined by sore hand

Chatwood doesn't plan to stay sidelined by sore hand

9/1/13: Tyler Chatwood is injured while attempting to make a barehanded grab on Mike Leake's comebacker and is forced to leave the game

By Thomas Harding and Ian McCue
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MLB.com |

DENVER -- Sunday was supposed to be a day glowing with excitement for Rockies starter Tyler Chatwood. Instead, he left the mound seething in frustration after taking a line drive off his pitching hand.

Chatwood, who spent a month on the disabled list with a right elbow impingement, left before getting an out in the third inning of Sunday's 7-4 victory after Reds pitcher Mike Leake smoked a line drive over the mound. Chatwood reflexively shot up his right hand, and the ball struck his fingers and bounced into the outfield.

He soon lost most of the feeling in his thumb and was pulled after giving up a homer and two walks to the next three batters. Chatwood said he planned to make his next start Saturday in San Diego, but manager Walt Weiss was less optimistic.

"I haven't seen him yet, but I'm sure it's really sore," Weiss said. "So hopefully he can make is next start, but I think that's obviously the best-case scenario.

"They got him good. I saw the replay, it hit him really good."

The Rockies have an off-day Thursday, and Weiss said the extra day of rest may provide enough time for Chatwood to recover. Weiss said he would feel comfortable starting Chatwood even if he had to skip his usual bullpen session between starts.

"It gives him a shot," Weiss said. "I think that thing's going to be sore for a few days."

Before landing on the DL on July 31, Chatwood asserted himself as one of the Rockies' best starters. He's 7-4 with a 3.29 ERA after Sunday's no-decision, but his ERA hovered comfortably below 3.00 from May through late July.